Author of The ULTIMATE Survival Gear Handbook
Democracy is being challenged in many countries (east and west). Governments and societies are flirting dangerously with totalitarianism – sometimes in the open, others in more covert ways. Are we going to slide away from freedom and liberty?
The world is already a very, very different place than not long ago. Changes keep hitting us at a breakneck pace and from all sides. Everything is unstable. In many ways, it has already hit the fan, and there’s no going back.
But there’s no problem so bad that it can’t be made worse. The powers-that-be seem to be intent on doing just that. Governments, politicians, and non-elected bureaucrats from all corners are seizing the opportunity created by the circumstances to steal further our freedom, wealth, and even our health.
So yes, totalitarianism is a possibility. But is it likely?
Recently, I argued why I believe the free world’s institutions, values, and principles might stand and its democracy prevail, despite being heavily tested and probably taken to its limits.
Before labeling me an optimist, know that I hope for the best but prepare for the worst. And when I say things will be good, I’m talking mid-term (we all die in the long term). Soon, I expect life on the planet to get significantly more challenging and more dangerous.
There are traps, risks, and indeed some bumps and Black Swans along the way, namely the possibility of divisiveness and economic hardships and international tensions developing into more severe revolutions, social and geopolitical conflicts, in the US and – well, really anywhere.
If there was ever a time in modern history riper for bad things to pile up, it is now.
Is this, by design, a natural cycle – or are we the people to blame?
Most certainly, many complex factors are contributing to the current predicament. Here are three I consider relevant:
- Evidently, higher instances are acting and maneuvering to impose their agendas. Never let a good crisis go to waste is the motto of governments, corporations, sectors of the ruling elites, and all those shady three-letter Non-Official Agencies and organizations.
- There’s clearly also a convergence of multiple, generational, large-scale cycles impacting and engendering deep transformations into the economy and finance, education, energy, transportation, social relationships, political (and geopolitical) arrangements, and even climate.
- Lastly, we, the people, also have a role in this, whether we acknowledge and admit it or not. We’ve been pumping governments up for decades. They’ve become bloated (i.e., are weighing on society and dragging us down). Now they seem to be turning against us, too.
What is the role of governments in the crisis and society’s role in the government?
Even though the circumstances and other inescapable factors are contributing, governments are the biggest culprits on everything that’s going on (yeah, probably even the pandemic).
Which begs the question: who’s giving them these powers? And how? The answer is a hard pill to swallow: we, the people, are. By demanding or accepting governments do more, provide more, interfere more, regulate more, decide more, we’re making them bigger and stronger.
Now, governments can’t keep the pain away, no matter how big. But when they get too strong, they can quickly turn sadistic and totalitarian.
Whatever happened to no such thing as free lunch?
We, as a society, seem to have forgotten that’s not a law of capitalism but nature. (like gravity). When did we lose our capacity to think critically, to question, to live more independently?
For fear, greed, and convenience, we outsourced our responsibilities. And since there’s no vacuum in the universe, the governments stepped in to baby us. The saddening part is acknowledging we fed them overblown by giving up on freedom and liberty in exchange for the illusions of safety and comfort.
Okay, that’s how humankind evolves: two steps ahead, one backward.
Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. Weak men create hard times.
We’ll have to collectively harden the f*ck up and face the music now to overturn that cycle.
What effect does big government have on a productive society?
Governments eat up a big chunk of what the people create and produce. They are inherently and helplessly inefficient and they misallocate and squander resources. They over-regulate, over-tax, over-burden the private sector and, in fact, the entire society.
Government interferes, causes distortions, generates imbalances, and commits injustices that lead to unintended consequences. They wage wars no one wants, and everyone pays dearly. Those are precisely the things that have brought us to the present crisis.
Modern society is comfortably cruising along, sailing on what governments and central planners have provided for decades. Drinking the Big Brother Kool-Aid has a price, and the time to pay the piper is approaching.
Rant: I know I’m preaching to the choir here.
Most people don’t trust the government, the mainstream media, the big corporations, the authorities, much less those highly suspect NGOs. Many to the point of being called tin-foil-hatters, conspiracy theorists, and worse. Some of us do something about it. The majority is just along for the ride (end of rant).
I confess the first draft of this article had a much more anti-government tone. But I decided to return to it because that’s not what I truly believe, much less the message I’m trying to convey.
I’m not anti-government: I’m the anti-big government. I’m not left nor right either: I’m anti-big left or right. There’s a big difference there. The absence of government and authority is anarchy, and that’s just another kind of SHTF. That’s not what I want, and I’m sure neither you.
Sure, sometimes, the only way to fix something is to bring it down and build anew. We better give this some serious consideration, though. As flawed as it may be, democracy is something unique and special. At the very least, it’s unquestionably heaps better than the alternatives. We must acknowledge that, cherish and protect it however we can, and do our best to make it better and stronger.
Other than preparing, what can we do?
I’ll start with the hard part: politics. Please don’t kill the messenger. Most think it’s a filthy or corrupt thing. But it’ll be much worse if we let others handle things in the shadows while we consume the world away, distracted entertained with less unpleasant matters, which is what bureaucrats want, by the way.
Not everyone should be involved, as it is impossible, unrealistic, and unpractical. However, democracy demands constant vigilance, hard work, and sacrifice to stay healthy and alive. Society must come out of slumber and somehow become engaged again. Or else we’ll wake up one day, and it’ll be too late.
Yeah, I know it sucks: it’s challenging, frustrating, infuriating. It can be risky too. But so is raising a child, staying healthy and in shape, making a living, or doing everything worth doing. Life’s hard. Stop whining.
Uncertain and volatile times require doubling down on awareness, critical thinking, and of course, preparations (big and small circles). We at The Organic Prepper are trying to help with this, so let’s see how these things relate.
Governments and bureaucrats don’t care in the least about the people.
The population is only used as an excuse for measures and policies purportedly put in place “to protect us.” In reality, most of what these central planners do end up enslaving and restricting us, taking away our freedom and everything else.
What to do about it: Do our best to show others that divided we stand to be conquered, and everyone loses. It’s a simple, universal message. Spreading the word is always a challenging and ungrateful slog. But it’s more necessary than ever because there’s a lot at stake, and ultimately, freedom is at the root of all things good.
Governments do bad even when they’re trying to do good.
Even when an elected authority is benevolent, has good intentions, and honestly wants to work for the people’s good, the system they are part of may not allow that. (Even when the ones in power acknowledge the importance of freedom, growth, and prosperity for the people and country.) Also, sometimes governments are just incompetent, which is very common.
What to do about it: Don’t put faith in “changes from within” or promises of good intentions. And whatever happens, don’t slouch: good or bad, the bigger a government gets, the more we should worry (and prepare).
Governments don’t like to shrink or concede power.
They never do this willingly and never will. Governments will fight this with all their might. Once they grow and take (or we concede) something, it’s tough, costly, and painful to get it back or make them smaller again.
What to do about it: We must get cognizant of that dynamic and resist giving up on rights, freedom, and other things at all costs. Even if it demands sacrifices and brings pain in the short term, it’s about taking responsibility and willing to compromise.
When governments say “temporary,” it’s a trap.
The US going off the gold standard in 1971 was a temporary measure. So was the 90-day price and wage freezing put in place at the time, which ended lasting almost two years. Lockdowns were initially also supposedly temporary (“to flatten the curve,” remember that?). Now inflation is being called “temporary” too. Smell the cheese?
What to do about it: Don’t be fooled: everything governments do is definitive until forcefully removed, changed, or collapsed. More actionable (bonus) tip: Whenever you hear that word (there are others), plan and act in accordance: prepare for life under whatever “temporary” is being imposed and its consequences.
Governments will do everything to kick the can down the road.
Politicians are only worried about keeping their jobs (i.e., being reelected) and growing their power, influence, and privileges. To achieve that, they must avoid bad news and all kinds of decisions and declarations requiring sacrifice or bringing any pain to the population. They will lie, distort, fraud, hide, manipulate, conceal, uphold – in short, do anything and go to the most unimaginable extents to delay the inevitable.
What to do about it: Don’t believe politicians is an obvious answer. However, it’s not enough: pay close attention to the language used by governments and authorities. It’s also indicative of their intentions. Also, don’t believe their cohorts and perpetrators: the MSM, the big corporations, the NGOs, NOAs, and others. Question everything, but don’t get paranoid or neurotic: learn, read, get informed, and think critically and independently. Talk to people, debate, discuss, look for the sources, second opinions. And study history.
Governments are very powerful, resourceful, and far-reaching.
This power makes them very efficient in oppressing the people and stealing rights, wealth, savings, freedom, assets, even our health. They do all that through the apparatus: a bunch of well-oiled machines that can corrupt, coerce, print (fiat), tax, confiscate, intervene, manipulate, deceive, mystify, swindle, falsify, cheat, inflict terror, (and also wage war, oppress and kill with great efficiency). There are more ways governments and authorities can strike down on the population to achieve their ends than 99,9% of people can conceive, much less come up with to try and escape that.
What to do about it: Don’t play hero, don’t be arrogant: hubris is a dead end (often literally). No matter how smart, prepared, safe, or grey we may think we are, governments can always do more. There’s really little to nothing we can do about it (at least not individually). Again, study the history of dictatorships and tyrannies everywhere to know in detail how they do these things. Actionable bonus tip: Don’t give in to political and other kinds of divisiveness – this serves their goals.
Indoctrination, cooptation, gaslighting, brainwashing.
The government may not come directly after us. But they have other very efficient indirect means to reach, expose, and ultimately get what they want from whomever they wish (individuals, businesses, organizations, groups, etc.). When things turn dire, survival mode sets in, and people do the unthinkable. Fear and greed are potent motivators cunningly used to turn people against each other: friends, coworkers, neighbors, and even relatives.
What to do about it: Give those things some thought and if the SHTF and things become ugly and dangerous, be extremely cautious about what you say or who you trust. Be wary of your words, actions, and steps. Sometimes, it’s indeed best to lay low and shrink.
“The government is not the solution to our problem. It is THE problem”.
That’s Ronald Reagan being perhaps the most honest a leader, politician, and elected official can be about governments and politics. Due to their very nature and the way the system is designed, there’s always more governments can do to harm than to help people.
What to do about it: Keep governments small. Lambasting politicians and bureaucrats is easy. It may win likes and enroll support and even get people inflamed. But does nothing to change the nature of the beast. We don’t censor a lion for being a lion: we understand its nature and instincts and act accordingly. So do what’s right, and please don’t feed the government!
Governments are made of people.
This means they panic, make mistakes, do stupid things, get lost, are incompetent, and do a lot more non-evil yet equally harming things. And, of course, they can be evil, too.
What to do about it: Don’t get angry or revolted. What good does that do to us? Politicians don’t come from Mars. Give that some serious reflection, and ask yourself honestly if you’d do differently if you were there (and maybe that’s why we’re not there). That’s the ultimate exercise.
Evil results can come from good intentions.
Listening to people like North Korea defector Yeonmi Park and Belarus’ activist Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya warning about the horrors of tyranny and dangers of totalitarianism should get us inspired and motivated to defend democracy, perhaps at all costs.
That doesn’t mean acting stupid or reckless, but with determination, patience and strategy. It also doesn’t mean wishing for the end of governments, bureaucrats, and the ruling elites. They are what they are, and, most times, they don’t act with evil intentions.
But evil results can come from good intentions too. This is more a call for awareness and critical thinking than a direct attack on authorities and institutions. And if you think it’s already too late, take a break and look around you. Now compare that to Venezuela, Cuba, and now Afghanistan.
Still, think we don’t have time?
How do YOU think we should solve the problem?
Do you believe the government has gotten too big? What is the solution? How do we inspire change? Share your thoughts on how we can make things better.
About Fabian
Fabian Ommar is a 50-year-old middle-class worker living in São Paulo, Brazil. Far from being the super-tactical or highly trained military survivor type, he is the average joe who since his youth has been involved with self-reliance and outdoor activities and the practical side of balancing life between a big city and rural/wilderness settings. Since the 2008 world economic crisis, he has been training and helping others in his area to become better prepared for the “constant, slow-burning SHTF” of living in a 3rd world country.
Fabian’s ebook, Street Survivalism: A Practical Training Guide To Life In The City, is a practical training method for common city dwellers based on the lifestyle of the homeless (real-life survivors) to be more psychologically, mentally, and physically prepared to deal with the harsh reality of the streets during normal or difficult times.
You can follow Fabian on Instagram @stoicsurvivor
Hi Fabian 🙂
I enjoyed your article! You make many valid points. With respect to your point about governments being extremely unwilling to give up power, I would add that, at least in the States, we’re pretty far along the road to totalitarianism. I believe this because our government is growing ever more overt in its abuses, which is a standard sign of an abuser’s belief in control over the abused. Take the eviction moratorium, for example. Our current President said publicly that he didn’t think he had the legal authority, but did it anyway via EO. While it’s wending through the court system, many small landlords will go bankrupt and their properties be transferred to those wealthy enough to snatch it up. Similar dynamics during our Great Depression made many people millionaires. The fact that so many illegal things are being done openly at this point tells me that government is to the point of totalitarianism. They definitely won’t go down without a fight. The banning of Russian ammo and firearms is one more end-run around 2A, moving the population towards disarmament. Once disarmed, the abuses will only get worse.
In addition to the other ways you’ve suggested, I’d add rethinking the voting for the lesser evil. At this point the two major parties are one, and both are evil. As you also point out, government has its place and proper functions, but those have long been co-opted by evil people. And we the people put them there. Since it’s said to be insane to do the same thing and expect a different result, perhaps if we want a different result we should vote differently. IMO the two major parties are no longer worthy of support.
I agree totally, Jayne. We need a 3rd, 4th, 5th party. We need people running that aren’t affiliated with parties. Partisan politics have never done the American people any good.
I will not vote for the lesser of two evils – you’re still voting for evil. I do not want that on my conscience.
But remember, one party is trying to make it harder for people to vote. Bad enough our turnout is no where close to where it should be. Some states have made it impossible for other parties to get on the ballot.
>one party is trying to make it harder for people to vote
Bullshit. Nobody who’s eligible to vote is being turned away. OTOH, we do have a problem with fraud-enabling measures such as ballot harvesting and vote-by-mail. (How about that recall out in Californicastan, where they cleverly designed the return envelope such that your “yes” vote to recall Gavin Nuisance would most likely be visible, so that it could be circular-filed by officials or others without even having to open the envelope? https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/08/19/watch-voter-claims-california-recall-envelopes-can-reveal-vote/ )
Take your gaslighting elsewhere. Nobody here is buying it.
Hi Jayne, and thanks.
I’d suggest you read The Fourth Turning, if you haven’t already. It explains how the changes in generations create a population more favorable, or at least more inclined, to accept promises of safety in exchange for their freedom.
There are many signs that this could be the times we’re in. Initiatives like the Patriot Act, and now these vax mandates, passports, etc. that are not just being accepted but in fact welcomed by so many, show that there’s a large part of the population out there not caring much about personal liberty, individuality, freedom of choice and these things that were so valued by previous generations.
This is concerning, because as I tried to convey in the article, we are doing this to ourselves – the governments are just doing things the way they know.
I’m writing from England.
It’s the same here; we’re on the cusp of Tyranny. It’s clear that we cannot ‘Vote, Petition or Protest our way out of this’.
The Globalists have a Plan, and there is no safe, conventional mechanism by which that Plan can be altered. Neither can we hide from it. There is, quite literally, nowhere to run.
AFAICS, that means we must fight, and topple these evil Regimes. As a first step, they must be ‘de-legitimized’. This is one of the few things they fear … they call it “Voter disengagement”.
To that end, I propose a new ‘Declaration of Independence’.
For us, that would mean the severance of any real or implied Contract with the Parliament. I’ve created a website (linked below) at which those who would be Free may become signatories to this Declaration.
I’m disappointed that only a few hundred have signed; tho I’m dealing with hacking attacks and censorship, so I don’t know how widely this has been disseminated. And, of course, Statism is deeply embedded in the British psyche, even now.
If you go to that site, you’ll see the intent behind this Declaration. It’s very much an ‘in-yer-face’ document, much as that which was produced by the Colonials. Mine is far less wordy, tho!
That’s all I got. Basically, “throwing-down the Gauntlet”.
I do believe that such ideas will gain in popularity as people begin to understand that their options for alternative strategies, are severely limited.
http://independencedeclaration.freehostia.com/index.php
I live simply in small town America. I am 72. That being said, I go to every town, school board, and library meetings. I serve on the local republican party board and attend state meetings. In short, I know people who would serve well and honorably and vote accordingly.
I have worked with the government in the past.
There are a few good, competent, govies, great organizational skills, problem solvers, with leadership qualities.
Unfortunately they are in the minority.
Most are incompetent. They do the bare minimum. Collect a paycheck. Others in their gross incompetence, take a program and drive it into the ground, wasting time and money. Do they get fired? Nope. You cannot get rid of them unless it is something truly criminal.
Only seen that happen once in 10 years.
With this all new, wokeness government and military, just stand back and watch it fail.
Prep so you get as little of the mess on you when it does.
Yup bout 7-10% are decent in any place I’ve worked.
The last few years have been bad. They expect and sometimes received promotions based on “special” status over achievement.
The military is toast unless a course correction happens fast. You already see the failures of the top.
Government are not the problem, but just the result of the problem.
People are the problem.
The first problem, is when we stop paying attention to what those in control are doing.
This allows people who are control freaks’ to take over.
This is not limited to governments, but occurs in HOA boards, Corporate boards, etc.
The second problem, is when we fail to take action to remove them, once they are detected.
Or even applaud some of their actions, which emboldens them to do even more, radical stuff.
So the real base of the problem lies with us and our indifference and lack of action.
Constantly relying upon others, (including the Government), for help, instead of taking care of our selves and our families, tends to create an opening for the control freaks’ to take over.
Once they are in position they are hard to get rid of. Most of those who choose to move into positions of Leadership and Power, do so for themselves and not for the benefit of others.
If you think this is bad now, just wait until the SHTF, in reality. These types will be all over the place.
From what we would deem as Criminal types( gangs Cartels, Mafia), to Warlords, Monarchs, Dictators and Religious Cult type, Leaders.
This, (as history proves) is a never ending cycle. The longer it is allowed to go on, the harder it is to reset the system to a more beneficial one.
Mic yes we’re imperfect beings existing in an imperfect world and creating an imperfect system. People are the problem but at the same time the solution. That’s what we’re got at hand to work with. Evolution is slow and painful, there’s no way around it.
“Governments are made of people.
This means they panic, make mistakes, do stupid things, get lost, are incompetent, and do a lot more non-evil yet equally harming things. And, of course, they can be evil, too.”
Sure, there are some incompetents in government, just as in any organization. However, when it comes to government, who exactly wants the job of governing over people? Psychopaths, who else? Or control freaks. People who get their kicks controlling others will ALWAYS seek out government (or big business, same thing) leadership positions and totally screw our lives up. You may not be anti-government, but I’m not so sure myself.
A reader,
You’re right, sociopaths are attracted to those positions. That’s why governments must be kept small. That way their power is limited, and the damage they can make is limited too.
Though imperfect, democracy implies a government. No government = anarchy = absence of command and order.
Without order there’s no progress, no direction, only chaos and infighting.
I appreciate the points you made in you very thoughtfully crafted article.
I do not, however, think there is anything in our federal governing body that is worth saving. The rule of law has been abandoned, the judicial system is a farce, our legislative branch works only to enrich itself and control us, the executive branch is comprised of idiotic puppets whose directed miscues are geared towards demoralizing us and weakening us in the eyes of our allies and enemies. Our military is being destroyed and our borders are wide open. We now have some 600 mistreated political prisoners who are being unlawfully held on bogus charges and that has, much like in the old USSR served to squelch any significant response from the citizenry for fear of being disappeared as well. The social contract has been broken. The deep state, big tech, big pharma and big money — Soros, Gates, Klaus Schwab, Blackrock and Vanguard — are pulling the strings. I see it as a time come out from among them, enhance my fellowship with the Father and His Son, find like-minded believers in a remote area, increase my physical fitness and become self-sufficient outside of the system with no need for an increasingly worthless fiat currency.
The government is not the problem. The problem is the criminals who have taken over and occupied the government and the representative citizenry that calls you a conspiracy theorist when you try to warn them.
Re: The absence of government and authority is anarchy, and that’s just another kind of SHTF. That’s not what I want, and I’m sure neither you.
What is it that makes you so sure?
“Governments” have spent at least 4,000 years murdering, enslaving and committing every crime possible.
More people were killed by their own governments in the twentieth century than in all wars in recorded history.
Can you name anytime anarchy has achieved such a dubious honor?
Anarchy is the boogieman government trots out every time its existence is challenged.
Every time some lunatic does something really awful the government will attach the label “anarchist”. All – the – while government is doing things far worse.
Insanity has been said to be doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.
4,000 years is far too long.
Anarchy is the absence of order. Humans can’t live in total absence of order, it’s that simple. Anarchy is an utopia.
It has been tried and failed, it’s short living precisely because it’s so disorderly and destructive eve to small communities Now, just to stay with US – can you imagine 320 million people living in anarchy instead of with a government, as bad as it may be?
Granted, bad governments have committed atrocities and still do to this day. But good governments bring direction, leadership and progress too.
Good governments can turn bad? Sure. That’s why they must be kept as small as possible, just the minimum to ensure order, even when they’re good. That way we have the best of it, without the risks of undue interference.
Historically all governments have either turned bad or been overthrown.
Its a cyclical thing. Read Strauss & Howe’s Fourth Turning.
Those who are mentally addicted to central authority have an amazing ability to justify state crime in the name of “order” or and orderly society.
To say society cannot achieve order without the incessant interference of a criminal elite is as I said, a definition of insanity.
I admit my ignorance but honestly I can’t recall a single exemple of social system other than a democratic republic that wasn’t based on a centralized power that prospered and lasted.
I’ll say that again in case I didn’t made it clear enough both in the article and in my replies here: governments are inherently bad, but the alternative is worse in every single case.
That’s why they exist, but must be kept small and limited in their powers to interfere.
Um, by that logic we should kill all animals, and really abandon the planet.
Cause EVERYTHING on this planet has been killing humans for 4,000 years or more.
It’s not something unique to Governments.
And, no, Anarchy is not something that is a boogieman by governments. It is something that has actually been experienced by people like Selco during Balkanization. It’s a state where there is no higher authority keeping Law and Order.
And it always ends the same.
Eventually, some governing body will emerge. It may not be a government per say, but it will be a group of people who have some manner of control over everyone else and will force those people to live according to their rules. And if it doesn’t, then it’ll just be a bunch of people killing each other or fucking each other over.
Barter Systems? Someone will horde all the stuff people need to survive and force them to comply.
Social Contracts? The people who break them will have a larger advantage over people who don’t, and will find ways around it when it suits them.
Some form of punishments’? Requires some way to enforce it on a mass scale otherwise it means nothing. AKA, a Government.
“Oh, but these things happen even when there are governments!”
Exactly. That’s the thing. None of these are unique to being under Governments or in Anarchy. They happen no matter what.
Just getting rid of governments entirely won’t solve anything. All it will do open the door for people to eventually create another one. Cause, even under the best conditions, at the end of the day there is strength in numbers and groups. In absence of any form of governance, the people will join together and create their own in a way to solve the problems they are having today, when they can’t do it on their own.
Jack if I’m getting this right we’re agreeing, just expressing differently.
I guess I made clear in the article and here in the comments that (1) I’m not against governments, just big govts; and (2) Anarchy leads to chaos and disorder.
And yes, I totally agree that the Balkans was anarchy precisely for lack of a central power; social contract alone doesn’t stand by itself; government must exist to provide law, police and military orders but not much beyond that.
Power and centralization aren’t themselves inherently bad, just the excess that allows abuses and distortions.
Those are basically the points of the article.
Stay well.
If we’re going to blame people in general for the current situation we’re in, then I can see a three key factors from human history that are the causes:
1. Agriculture. Yes, agriculture allowed us to get this far because without it we would still be Hunter/Gatherers. However, it’s also the thing that created the idea of “Societies”. People who grew the food becoming the epicenter for people building up homes and starting families around it. This contributes and leads to the second point.
2. Population Growth. We have to understand that many Methods Of Governing were created with the population at the time in mind. I doubt any of the people who coined any of the well known Governmental Strategies in world did so with the knowledge that there would soon be over 1 Billion people living on a single continent. And this is where one of the biggest problems comes in.
It’s easy to create a governing system for 10 or 20 people. But 100, 200, 100,000 and so on? That’s when it starts becoming difficult. And this is what leads to the expansion of the government. After all, it needs to grow bigger in order to govern the larger population…which in turn leads to it becoming more corrupt because there are more ways for people to use it to exploit the system, while creating ways they and their friends can exploit the system as well.
3. Generational Changes. When a government/society is first created, the people who helped build it are heavily invested in ensuring it is a good one and does it’s supposed to. This is not necessarily because of knowledge, but because of experience. These people experienced what it was like to live under whatever came before this government, and want to make sure the one they made is the best it can be.
This starts to deteriorate when the next Generation comes of age. Sure, the previous Generation teaches what came before to the knew one, but teaching means nothing if there’s no experience (AKA Wisdom) to cement it. Because emotional memories remain far longer than logical ones. And experience turns logical knowledge into an emotional memory. But this Generation doesn’t have that. They start to care less about politics, less about who gets put into positions of power, and less about abuses of said power. Which then leads to power hungry people getting into positions of power and starting to rot the government from the inside. In addition, this Generation has no idea what life was like before the current government was in charge. So, they get used to the governing body and leave it be even when it does things that harm society.
Then, when the third Generation starts to come of age, things start to fall apart. This Generation has completely grown up far and away from the time when the government wasn’t around. For them, it’s current incarnation is the one they know. And it’s the one that they’re used to. So, when it does bad things, they just shrug their shoulders. Because to them, “That’s just how it is”. This is the worst time for many people, because this is when governments start to go full totalitarian.
I think the really bad thing is that there isn’t really a solution to these problems.
You can’t “fix” agriculture. If someone finds out that staying in spot and growing your food is 100% better than risking your life walking around dangerous terrain and maybe getting food, they’re gonna grow their own food. And when others see this person prospering, they’re gonna wanna do the same. Either by joining the first person or doing it themselves. This will continue until a society is formed, leading to a government, and yadda yadda.
Population Growth will simply happen during happy times (people are hopeful for the future so they want kids to raise) and hard times (people are scared they might die so they have kids to continue their legacy). And I won’t even try to say any solution to those, cause population control is straight up evil and never done for good…at least as far as humans are concerned.
You can try to teach the next Generation, but there are lots of problems with this. First, they might not take your lessons to heart without the experience and wisdom to keep them there. Second, they might take the completely wrong lessons from the things you say. Third, they could get the same or contradicting information from someone else, ruining everything.
Does this mean I’m advocating for a Hunter/Gatherer society, where we cull a certain number of the population every year, and throw our children to the wolves to ensure they experience hardship and don’t complacent? HELL NO.
I’m just pointing out the possible origin points for all of the problems we’re currently experiencing.
Now you might say, “Well, the solution is to just keep Governments Small!”
Ok…..how?
Governments are made because societies find that they need something/someone to make the big decisions for a large population. If a government has too little power, they can’t really govern. What use is a government if they can’t enforce any order?
-Jack, very interesting and good post.
How would we apply that to a SHTF or post-SHTF world?
There are a number of people out there who think eggs come from the grocery store and more than a few do not know a cow has to have had a calf in order to produce milk (one of my wife’s co-workers, has a PhD in computer science).
That’s where it gets tricky. SHTF or Post-SHTF Worlds could be anything right now. Granted, we can make guesses and draw conclusions from the things we see in our everyday lives now. However, at the end of the, no one can tell the future. No matter how clever they think they are.
But in spite of this, I will do what I can to try to estimate how we could apply what we know to these types of situations:
For Agriculture, we can tell that anyone who can produce food will be very popular for both the right and wrong reasons. People need food. In a SHTF situation, there’s no easy way to get food unless you’re producing it.
If you’re not, you need to get it from someone who is. This means people who grow food will find that many people want to barter/trade with them for food…but just as many want to steal their food from them.
If you’re someone who can produce food, that means you’ll be ok…for a time. You can share your food with others, make a bit of living in spite of it all by selling and bartering it, but you must understand there is a big target on your back. And if you don’t practice good OPSEC, or aren’t prepared to defend you and yours, you’re just begging for someone to come steal your food.
For Population Growth, population will decline for a time. Especially in the early stages as a lot of people start dying. The main ones being people who rely on the government to survive. Not just Welfare people, but Sick People, the Elderly, the Homeless, etc. etc.
However, as time goes on there will be a population boom. People will once again understand that their lives can end at any moment. And, if they don’t have a family, then their legacy ends with them. Many will start seeking companionship and start families. The Decline will be followed by a Boom.
For the Generational Change, it’s already been said dozens of times. The Current Generation will understand what Hardship is once again, there will be an emotional imperative to ensure it doesn’t happen again or at least not to their children, and they’ll try to build something better.
Now, here’s the thing; These will only happen if after the SHTF situation is over, the government or some other entity doesn’t swoop in and force everyone to abide by a new set of Authoritarian Rules. If they do, then these go like this:
Agriculture will be taken over by government approved farmers/Corporations. Any attempt to do it individually will be punished.
Population Control will be implemented. Expect to see people regularly disappeared or culled every now and then “For the Sake of a Good Society”.
Generational Change won’t happen because the Government will take everyone’s children and ensure they don’t maintain the emotional lessons from the previous crisis.
-Jack,
Another good post.
Like Reagan said many years ago the scariest words you will ever hear: “Hi we’re from the Government & we’re here to HELP!
I’m a bit tired of people saying that the problem is “big government” when big corporations are even worse. And they often use the argument of going against big government in order to get to do whatever they like.
Truth is, the Bigs (Big Government, Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Whatever) fight against each other all the time, and they use the little people to fight their arguments. What I say is, never take a side against a Big, because you are just fighting their wars for them. Wars need foot soldiers. Don’t fight their wars, just do your best to avoid anything Big, and if you can’t (because sometimes you can’t), then complain like hell that there is no small version. But only when it affects you directly.
Big governments create big corporations, by inflating and distoring the economy. If govs were limited, rest assured Big Corp would also be in check. Notice how Big Corp is siding with Big Gov today. It´s not coincidence.
Yep….”Preach It” most just don’t know how all this “stuff” is interconnected. From A to Z.
Exactly.
P.S. nice sunglasses InTheBooniesTX
How did I get them? Does it make me a lurker?
Personally, I think we’re overdue for another Revolution.
Revolt is how to keep the Government in check.
It can’t be fixed from within.
“Sire! The peasants are revolting!”
“Yes, and they smell bad, too.”
From Monty Python..
“Help, I’m being oppressed. Come and see the violence inherent in the system.”
Revolution depends entirely on how many people you can get to commit and go along with you.
A whole bunch of people is a revolution.
A medium sized group of people is an insurrection.
A small group is an uprising.
One guy with a gun is a soon to be dead nutjob.
Bemused Berserker,
that’s what usually happens. Some “big resets” like the end of URSS (Perestroika and Glasnost) and the fall of Berlin Wall were peaceful (for the most part).
But more often than not it’s through a revolution.
The problem is that, also more often than not, what comes next is a long period of terror. Happened in the French Revolution >>> Napoleon; the Russian >>> Bolcheviques >>> then Stalin, in China >>> Great Leap Forward >>> Cultural Rev. >>> Mao, and many others in history.
Revolutions are risky business, very risky I’d say. We know how it starts, but never how it ends.
Make an impact where you can: your communities. I live in a rural area. I met with the Sheriff and talked with him for over 2 hours. I know where he stands. It was an interesting meeting. He dislikes all politicians and hates executive orders and thinks they are all unconstitutional. So he is a good one. Sheriff’s are the senior Law Enforcement officer in your county. Make sure you vote for a good one who supports the Constitution.
No more executive orders or “emergency authority.” There is a reason bwe have a legislative branch!
Hate to say this but large urban areas are probably at the stage of being, “no go areas.” Their respective government apparatus is probably too far gone with what Fabian outlines. They are just too entrenched.
I do not live in any city boundaries or ETJ. Only county reps..which are elected reps. So make sure they are vetted. Meet with them and ask them where they stand. Since I live in a rural county they still tend to be real people with full time jobs other than their fix duties.
TX Governor, Lt Governor, AG talk a big game in public. Not so much behind the scenes. I am conservative, but I don’t like what I am hearing about them from back channels. Same with some of the Congressmen and Senators. Need term limits…and no pensions for these guys when they are out. I am a Hamiltonian, but alas I think that ship has sailed!!!
Our 2 party system has failed. Tea Party or some other alternative is needed. But they will need money and support from us to be able to get their message out.
We are getting “aged out” meaning they have successfully indoctrinated the last several generations. Full on sheeple. Parents…only you can prevent the new flock of zombies! Quit letting the schools (education camps) raise your children!!!
Quit letting the “Quislings” take over the school boards! Know what your children are being taught!
On a different note….
Emergency Essentials is down to 8 days worth of stock and can’t make product fast enough to fill demand. 1-3 months delay staring soon.
Our local Walmart rearranging store to cover for lack of inventory. Things being spread out and those large displays in the isles/paths are gone. Wife bought last 6 cans of organic crushed tomatoes: that’s bad because her marinara is to die for!
Also products are being downsized. Use to be 16 ounces now 12 at same price. (Not raising prices)
Butcher Box price increase: $10.00 to base price.
Local restaurants are raising prices.
Even fast food prices are going up. (I love McDonald’s fries…oh the humanity!)
Well thought out column. But here in America there is a shortage of workers. Mostly, it seems, in the service industry. They NEED workers.
I make a proposal that WILL solve the problem below:
This is a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to eliminate many government agencies and get rid of a lot of them for GOOD because now there is lots of jobs in the civilian market and for once government employees can do TRUE service to the people instead of the other way around.
This is a great time to make government smaller. Can you imagine Faucteeth making pizza a for you? Or Pelousy as a waitress? YEAH, sure you can!
I liked to think most here dont like the “definition of insanity” process of repeating the same steps over and over again expecting a different result that is voting for change and adherence to the party deception.
Charles Hugh Smith for many years has distilled an approach that is simply:
Think Globally act locally and do anything possible to decentralize social and human activity around you. I think that is really taking your power back even if only on a miniscule scale.
Thank you so much for recommending Benjamin Roth Diary! It was an excellent and timely read.
Defending the Constitution
https://www.theepochtimes.com/edition/defending-the-constitution_3892418
https://rumble.com/vkfz7f-epoch-times-event-defending-the-constitution.html
We are not going to vote or protest our way out of this mess.
The only way you can dissolve and decentralize the Federal government is to USE the Supreme Law of the land, which is our CONSTITUTION!!!!
A critical thinker knows that if you don’t use our Federal and State Constitutions to challenge the Federal government who is continually over stepping its enumerated powers, will eventually destroy our free nation called the REPUBLIC.
When was the last time the public was educated on their own State Constitution and Ballot Initiative?
I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground that ‘all powers not delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.’ To take a single step beyond the boundaries thus specially drawn around the powers of Congress, is to take possession of a boundless field of power not longer susceptible of any definition.
Thomas Jefferson
The Enumerated Powers of the State
https://i2i.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/The-Enumerated-Powers-of-States-2.pdf
This is a Republic, a nation of laws spelled out quite clearly in the Constitution, not a democracy, the devils own tool. And most of us swore an oath to protect it from all enemies foreign and domestic. It is time.
Todays 42 comments so far are an excellent example of why OP is my favorite prepper site. An excellent informative article followed by breathtakingly profound comments (most of them!).
One says agriculture creates population growth, and is so successful it overtakes everything. Indeed, and messes up the environment and now huge swathes of land are deserts.
Humans muddle things up–but always muddle THROUGH in the end. The New Agriculture is already here, and literally restoring the land. Joel Salatin describes the gullies across his land when his family bought it. Those are now healed, and we can buy pastured chicken eggs in most large supermarkets across the land.
Where permaculture and regenerative ag are practiced, a new flourishing is happening. As a few million consumers have found out about it, there is “greenwashing,” where destructive practices are papered over as “regenerative.” But the real thing is growing, doubling every year, and that is what counts.
My favorite books to explain this are Judith Schwartz’ two (Cows Save the Planet, and Water in Plain Sight), and Restoration Agriculture by Mark Shepard. If you are a large scale cattleman or herdsman, start with Gabe Brown’s Dirt to Soil.